Sheet registering and detecting mechanism



May 14, 1940. c.-w. HARROLD El AL SHEET REGISTERING AND DETECTING MECHANISM Filed June 2, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 0mm 5.5 M flsweam Jwm BYE W ATTORN 5 y 1949., c.w. HARROLD ETAL 2,200,367

SHEET REGISTERING AND DETECTING MECHANISM Filed June 2, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 :l 1,: 0 Mi l ATTORNEY$ May 14, 1940.

Filed J une 2', 1938 s Sheets-Sheet s b 1. 1 nt. 9. \m IIJQ Q III- II INVENTOR. 6' #17245 M 156925049 Jami: 18 h/oao ATTORN 3 y 14, 1940- c. w. HARROLD ET m. 2

' SHEET REGISTERING AND DETECTING MECHANISM Filed June 2, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 14, 1940. c, w, HAfifiQLD r 2.200.367

SHEET REGISTERING AND DETECTING MECHANISM Filed June 2, 1938 5 Sheets$heet 5 INVENTOR.

0/4/94 5 ill/7,424 040 JANA-'6 2 11 000 M f/MIMKW ATTORNEY5 I Patented May 14, 1940 SHEET REGISTERING AND DETECTING MECHANISM Charles W. Harrold, University Heights, Ohio, and James R. Wood, Shelton, Conn., assignors to Harris-Seybold-Potter Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application June 2, 1938, Serial No. 211,408

26 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sheet registering 'and'detecting mechanism, and has todo primarily with means for making adjustments of'sheet guides and detectors with respect to the 5 printing machine with which the feeder is used, but without alteration of the adjustment of these elements relative to each other. The invention also has to do with improved means for front registering sheets. The control elements herein It) disclosed include front guides, side guides with side registering mechanism, absence of sheet detectors and sheet calipers or plural sheet detectors. In accordance with the present invention, when a satisfactory adjustment of these various ll sheet control elements has once been attained, each of the control elements may be permitted to remain fixed with respect to every other one, and when the adjustment of one element is changed with respect to the printing machine the others .m are changed correspondingly. Hence the invention facilitates the accurate functioning of the control elements or devices.

In feeding sheets to a printing press it is the common practice to forward the sheets from a 28 pile or other supply, either completely separated or in lapped formation, to a stationary position with the front edge of the sheet against stops or front guides, from which position the forward edge of the stationary sheet is gripped by grip- 80 pers either on the impression cylinder of the press or on a transferring mechanism, and by these grippers is taken into the machine. While the sheet engages the front guides and before it is taken into the printing machine, it is pushed or 35 pulled sidewise by side registering mechanism up against a side guide. Thus the sheet is placed in definite relation to the machine both in regard to its front edge and one side edge. Also during the time the sheet lies against the front guides its presence and the correctness of its position are detected by front edge detectors.

It is highly desirable that the front guides be adjustable forwardly and backwardly in relation to the printingmachine in order to permit slight changes in the lay of the printing or other work on the sheet. Two such front guides are ordinarily provided, and they are independently adjustable so that the sheet may be placed with a m slight angularity to the machine if necessary. It is also desirable that the parallelism of these guides be maintained regardless of the position to which they are adjusted in order that the front edge of the sheet may contact each of the I guides throughout the full width of the latter,

thereby insuring accuracy of register and avoiding buckling of the edge of the sheet.

Frequently the side guide has a length of from two to three inches or even more, and it is therefore important for its proper functioning that its face should be accurately positioned at right angles to the line defined by the front guides in. order that the side edge of a properly squared sheet when lying against the front guides shall contact the full extent of the side guide, thus avoiding buckling of the edge of the sheet and insuring accuracy of sidewise position. So far as we are aware, there has been no construction up to the present time in which the side guide and side registering mechanism are given a movement corresponding to that of the front guides. Heretofore the adjustment for the side guide has been independent, and ordinarily no provision has been made for changing the angularity of the side guide.

When sheets are fed in lapped relation to the front guides it has been found advantageous to employ a plural sheet detector operating near the front end of the stream of lapped sheets where the stream is at times one sheet thick only and to cause such a detector to operate at those times.

If such a detector is supported in the usual way, that is on the main frame of the machine, me-, chanical difliculties arise where it is also desired to provide an adjustable mounting for the front guides and side guides. This difiiculty is obviated and a simple and convenient construction is provided in the present invention by mounting. the plural sheet detector upon the adjustable frame supportingthe other operating elements above referred to.

As mentioned above it is common practice to provide two front guides forreceiving and registering the front edge of each sheet. When sheets are fed singly they must be forwarded along the feed table at a'speed approximating that of the printing machine, and if not slowed down before striking the front guides they are likely to rebound from the guides in the case of heavy or stiff sheets and to buckle or crumple at the front guides in the case of light-weight or flimsy sheets, which results in improper register and damage to the sheet. Therefore slow-down mechanism is often provided for decelerating the sheets prior to their reaching the front guides. 5 Such mechanism, because of the nature of its movements is quite complicated and difficult to adjust and frequently unsatisfactory in its operation. When sheets are forwarded along the feed table in lapped relation their speed in relation to that of the printing machine may be.

made considerably slower, but owing to the fact that the operating speed of the machine may for this reason be increased and because of the frictional action of the following sheet in forcing the first sheet against the front guides, there is also some tendency even in lapped feeding for the sheets to be forced too strongly against the front guides where they have not been previously slowed down still further. In accordance with the present invention means is provided for obviating this difliculty without the mechanical complications involved in the usual slow-down mechanism. This is accomplished by providing a multiplicity of front stops placed substantially in line to receive the forward edge of the sheet, and by removing all but two of these stops after the sheet has been thus stopped in order to preserve the advantages of having only two stops which then serve as front guides for the final positioning of the sheet.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a unitary mounting for the front guides and side guides with associated mechanism, so supported by the main frame of the printing machine that it may be'adjusted forwardly and backwardly to a slight extent and its angularity changed slightly while the relationship between the front guides and the side registering mechanism is accurately maintained.

Another object is to provide operating mechanisms for these devices which shall be substantially unaffected by changes in their position of the extent required.

Another object is to construct the clamping means and adjusing means for the mounting so that adjustments may be made easily and in known amount and while the machine is in operation.

A further object is the provision of a simple and convenient mounting for a plural sheet detector and operating mechanism therefor which shall be substantially unaffected by adjustment of the position of the mounting.

Another object is the provision of novel and simple means for stopping the forward sheet of a stream of sheets and front registering the same.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a simple and convenient mounting for the sheet stops and for a detector of the absence of sheet type.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as we proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, we have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a fragment of a printing machine, with that portion of a sheet feeder in which the present invention is embodied.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the feeder, a portion of the frame of a printing machine being shown in horizontal section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with certain parts broken away and others shown in vertical section in order to better illustrate the invention. In this view the side registering mechanism and the sheet calipering mechanism are illustrated.

Fig. 5 is still another view similar to Fig. 1 showing in particular the tripping mechanism employed in connection with the absence of sheet detector.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental view showing the plural sheet detector or choke lowered to sheet calipering position.

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical detail sectional views of a front stop and a front guide respectively, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrammatic plan views of the front stops and front guides for stopping and registering the sheets.

Referring now to the drawings, I0 represents the impression cylinder of a printing machine, while II is a feedcylinder or transfer device driven from impression cylinder III in such manner as to have during each rotation a stationary period during which the sheet is gripped, a period of acceleration, and a period of deceleration, whereby sheets may be taken from a feed table l2, accelerated to the speed of the impression cylinder and transferred thereto. Suitable mechanism for providing such a drive is disclosed in the copending application of Harrold, Wood and Kaddeland, Serial No. 98,900, filed September 1, 1936. Side frame members, which may be integral parts of the printing press, or rigidly attached thereto, are shown at l3 and I. They may be Joined by tie-rods l5 and IS in order to insure rigidity and strength. Journaled in the frame members 43 and I4 is a roller l'l around which tapes l8 are trained in the usual manner for the purpose of conveying a sheet or stream of sheets toward the registering and other devices to be described hereinafter.

The inner side of each of the frame members l3 and I4 is provided with a machined ledge l8 upon which is supported the main cross member 20 of an auxiliary feeder frame. This cross memher is slidable on the ledges l9, and a slight clearance is provided between the ends of the cross member and the frame members l3 and I4 so that a slight angularity in the position of the cross member is permissible if desired for adjustment purposes.

To the rear end of the cross member 20 there is attached by screws 9 or the like a transverse bar 2| which extends through openings 22 in the side frame members and in each end of which a threaded bolt 23 is secured. Each of these threaded bolts carries a pair of nuts 24, one on each side of a square stud 25 which is rigidly fixed in the corresponding frame member. The studs 25 are scribed with lines 26, and the nuts 24 are scribed with graduations 21 at desired intervals. It is apparent that by loosening one nut of a pair and tightening the other the corresponding end of the cross member 20 may be moved forwardly or rearwardly by an amount indicated by the graduations on the nuts. Each of the frame members l3 and I4 furthermore carries a gauge arm 21a provided with a gauge mark 28 which stands adjacent a similar mark 28 on the transverse bar 2! in order to indicate the position of the auxiliary frame longitudinally of the machine and enabling the operator to restore it to a known position at any time. 01 course, if one end of the bar 2| is advanced or retracted further than the other end the auxiliary frame is given a slight degree of angularity in the main frame l3, H. A

Rigid clamping of the cross member 20 in a sidewise direction is accomplished by means of clamp screws 30 at both sides of the machine operating in threaded holes in the frame members l3 and H to force blocks 3| against the inner sides of grooves formed in the end faces of the cross member 20.

The forward end of cross member 20 is held 49 running on a cam 50.

down firmly against the ledges I! by means of clamps 32 at each side of the machine. These clamps are carried rotatably on the ends of the eccentric studs 33 supported in the frame members l3, l4 and carrying at their outer ends cranks 34, each of which is pivotally connected with a threaded rod 35. This rod extends through a square stud 36 which is pivotally mounted in the frame. On one side of this stud a collar 31 is fixed to the rod, and on the other side there is a knurled head or collar 38 also fixed to the rod. The clamps 32 may be loosened or tightened by turning the knurled heads 38.

In the forward portion of the cross member 20 there is journaled a shaft which has fixed thereto a series of brackets 4|, each of which carries a front stop 42 in the form of a flexible metal plate which when in operative position extends up beyond the upper surface of the feed plate I2. When a sheet S approaches the front registering position it impinges against these steps 42. The number of stops used may vary to a considerable extent, but we prefer to employ a sufflcient number to bring the sheet to an abrupt stop without damaging it. We also employ two brackets 4 I which are substantially identical with the brackets 4| except that their key grooves are differently positioned, so that the brackets 4| tilt backwardly somewhat as compared with brackets 4|. Stops 42', similar to stops 42, are carried by the brackets 4|, and they may flex as indicated in Fig. 8 to permit their upper ends to leave the brackets. When the parts are in the position of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 the stops 42' function along with stops 42 to slow down or interrupt the travel of the sheet. When the shaft 40 is turned anticlockwise through a small angle however the stops 42 move away from the feed plate as indicated in Fig. 10, while the stops 42' because of their flexibility remain in contact with the feed plate, and then constitute front guides. Figs. 9 and 10 are somewhat diagrammatic in that they show the stops 42 and 42 extending uninterruptedly across the width of the sheet. In practice however we insert at one or more points sheet detectors to be hereinafter described.

Shaft 40 extends through an opening in frame member l3 and has keyed to one extremity a crank arm 44 which is joined by a rod 45 to a crank arm 46 keyed to a stub shaft 41 which extends through -the frame member l3 and carries at its inner end an army 48 having a cam roller Cam 50 is keyed to a shaft 5| which is driven from the printing machine by a train of gears 52, 5'3, 53', 54, 55 and 56 at the rate of one revolution for each sheet taken by the machine.

Cam 50 has a high spot A, an intermediate level B, and a low level C. In the position shown in Fig. 1 cam roller49 is on high spot A with the result that shaft 40 is rotated to its extreme position in a clockwisedirection. In this position, which corresponds with-that of Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the two front guides 42 stand with their upper ends against the forward edge of feed plate l2, and their associated brackets 4| have been rotated sufliciently to withdraw the upper face of the brackets from the front guides 42'. All of the stops 42 are also in contact with the end of feed plate l2, but their brackets 4| remain substantially in contact with the stops 42. As the roller 49 rides down to the intermediate level B of cam 50 the brackets 4| push the stops 42 away from the front edge of the feed plate |2, while the brackets 4| move up approximately into contact with their guides 42'. Thus, all but two of the front stops are moved away from. the front edge of the sheet, and these two stops remain as front guides to determine the final registration of the front edge of the sheet. As the roller 49 thereafter rolls down to the lower level C of the cam all of the stops 42 and thetwo front guides 42' are rotated by the shaft 40 to a position below the surface of the plate l2 out of the way of the sheet, so that the latter may be taken into the machine.

While we prefer that only two of the front stops remain in position as front guides as above described, in order to attain the advantages of socalled three point register it is within the spirit of this part of our invention to employ three or even a larger number in this manner, it being essential only that a larger number of stops are employed to stop the sheet than to determine its final registered position.

It is also apparent that under some circumstances, as when the forward edges'of the sheets are cut unevenly, or when sufiicient registering time is available, it may be desirable to position the stops which remain as front guides very slightly to the rear of the other stops considered in the direction of sheet travel sothat the sheet after being stopped may settle forward slightly into contact with these guides. It is essential, however, that the spacing be such that the sheet may not again reach its normal forward speed and in general the spacing should be as small as consistent with accurate register so that a minimum of time will be consumed bythe sheet in assuming its final position. I

At the rear end of cross member 20 there is bolted a beveled bar 62 which supports the side guide and side registering mechanism now to be described. In Fig. 2 of the drawings a side guide and side registering mechanism are shown at each side of the machine in order that either right or left side registering may be effected. One only of these mechanisms will be described, as they are substantially the same in construction and operation. The bar 62 supports a grooved slide 63, the under side of which is provided with a clamp 64 resiliently. held in clamping position by a spring 65 on a stud 66 screwed into the slide 63.

, This construction provides for moving the slide 63 along the bar 62 to accommodate different widths of sheets or different desired lateral positions of the side guide. In order to effect fine adjustment of this slide we may also provide a bracket 61 adapted to engage the under side" of bar 62 and having an upper arm 68 in which is threadably mounted a clamping screw 69. This bracket is loose upon a threaded stud 10 which projects from the side of the slide 63. Knurled nuts II and 12 are mounted on the stud 10 on either side of the bracket 61, 68. When the slide is positioned roughly as desired, the operator tightens down clamping screw 69 and then by turning nuts II and 12 the slide may be moved by small increments until the precise position desired is attained.

On the slide 53 there is mounted a plate 13 the upper surface of which is flush with the surface of feed plate I2. Spaced slightly above plate 13 there is a guide plate 74. The sheets to be side registered travel between these. plates, and their outer edge is caused to engage a side guide 15 on the slide.

Secured to the slide 63 there is a bracket I1 provided with a shaft '18 upon which is pivoted an arm is. The letter at its outer end carries an idler roller which forms the upper member of a roller type side registering device. The arm 19 is urged downwardly by a spring pressed plunger BI. Guide plate 14 preferably moves up and down with arm 19 and roller 80, being lowered at the proper time to confine the sheet between itself and the plate 13 so that the sheet will not buckle as it strikes the side guide 15.

The head 84 of a rod 95 bears against the under surface of arm 19. This rod extends downwardly through a guiding hole in slide 63, and at its lower end it engages a bar 86 which extends crosswise of the machine to a suflicient extent to maintain its engagement with rod in all positions of the slide. The bar 86 is supported at its ends by arms 81 and at an intermediate point by an arm 88. All three of these arms are keyed to a shaft which is supported at one end in frame member I3, at the middle in an intermediate frame 9|, and at the other end in a bracket 92 supported on tie rods I5 and I9. The middle arm 58 constitutes a cam lever carrying a roller 93 running on a cam 94 keyed to shaft 5|. When the roller '93 is on the high part of cam 94 the rod 85 is pushed up, with the result that roller 00 is raised, and when roller 93 is on the low part of cam 94 the roller 80 is lowered.

A side register driving shaft is journaled in the end portions of the cross member 20. This shaft is rotated at the required speed through a gear 95 which is keyed to shaft 95 and which meshes, at a point approximately on a line through its center perpendicular to the direction of movement of the cross member 20, with an intermediate gear 91 keyed to the outer end of a short shaft 98 journaled in the frame member I4 and which at its inner end has keyed to it a further gear 99. The latter gear is driven by the gear 56 keyed to the shaft 5|, which, as previously stated, is rotated one revolutiQn for each sheet fed. Thus it will be seen that the shaft 95 may occupy different positions longitudinally of the machine to the extent necessary for adjustment purposes without the gears which drive the shaft being disengaged or their relationship appreciably altered even though part of the gears are mounted in the fixed frame of the machine and part in the movable auxiliary frame of the feeder.

Slidably keyed to shaft 95 and movable thereupon along with the slide 63 is a further gear IOI which meshes with a gear I02 fixed on shaft I03 which at its other end carries a bevel gear I04 meshing with a bevel gear I05 which drives the lower side registering roller I06 with a constant speed proportional to the speed of shaft 95. Side registration is accomplished by lowering the upper roller 80 at the proper moment to squeeze the sheet against the lower revolving roller I06, the two rollers then cooperating to drive the sheet sidewise against the side guide 15.

The sheet calipering or multiple sheet detector is also carried by the slide 63. Fastened to the bracket 11 there is a further bracket I01 to the upper end of which is pivoted a lever I08 which cooperates with a roller I09 on an arm I I0 keyed to a shaft III, which shaft is given a short rocking movement by a crank arm H2 on the outer end of which is a cam follower I I3 running upon a cam H4 keyed to a shaft H5, which is the shaft upon which the transfer cylinder II is carried. The lever I08 is joined by a. link H6 to a bell crank lever II1 pivotally carried at H8 by the bracket I01. Bell crank lever H1 is provided with a choke bar H9 which, when in operating position, cooperates with the plate 12 to prevent the passage between them of more than one sheet, thus detecting the presence of an undesired number of sheets. 'The rocking movement of shaft III serves to raise the bar H9 to permit the passage of more than one sheet when that is the normal condition. By mounting the choke bar H9 on the same bracket with the side registering mechanism the choke bar is moved forward and backward with the latter and in fixed relation with the front guides, and a separate stationary mounting is avoided.

In case two sheets are fed together or in case a crumpled sheet is moved under the choke bar H9, the excess thickness of paper is prevented from traveling further. This causes indirectly the tripping of the press, for the reason that when a sheet fails to register against the front guides at the proper time the sheet detector at that point trips the machine.

The front edge detecting mechanism will now be described. Referring to Fig. 5, the shaft 40 in addition to carrying the stops 42 and front guides 42' also supports one or more front edge sheet detectors, two being shown in the drawings. One will be described. At a suitable point there is keyed to the shaft 40 a suitable bracket I20 which pivotally supports a detecting finger I2I, the upper end of which is normally urged against the face of a shallow slot I22 in the feed plate I2 by means of a spring I23 bearing against the finger below its pivot. When nosheet is present at the front guides the lower end of detecting finger I2I is made to engage a notched plate I24 supported in a lever I25 pivotally carried by the bracket I20. The lever I25 at its outer end carries a roller I25 which is engaged by the flattened end of an arm I21 which is keyed to an oscillatable shaft I20 journaled in the frame members I3 and I4. Outside of the frame member I3 shaft I20 has keyed to it a lever I29, the upper end of which is provided with a hook I20. A spring I3I tends to turn the shaft I20 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5. The hook I30 is adapted to engage one end of a lever I22 carried on a stud I22 in the frame member I2, which lever is connected by a rod I24 to a crank arm I35, the latter being keyed to a short shaft I35 journaled. in frame member I2 and carrying at its inner end another arm I21 having a cam roller I38 running on a cam I29 keyed to shaft 5I.

.When no sheet is present to bear against the upper end of detecting finger I2I the latter assumes the position shown in Fig. 5 and its lower end engages the notched plate I24. Lever I25 is thereby prevented from rotating counter-clockwise. Owing to the engagement of roller I20 with lever I21 the tendency of spring III to rotate shaft I 28, clockwise is overcome, and the hook I30 is kept out of engagement with the lever I22. The lever I22 is thereby enabled to swing clockwise in response to the action of cam I29 on lever I31 as the roller on the latter reaches the short depression in the cam I22. Rotation of the lever I32 clockwise causes a rod I40 carried by the lever to push downward against the latch I4I pivotally mounted at I42 in the frame member I3, thus disengaging the latch I from the notched collar I42 keyed to the usual trip shaft I44 which is spring-actuated by spring I45. Shaft I44 is shown in the of! position after tripping has taken place. It is utilized to stop the feeder and throw off the impression of the printing press or perform other functions in known manner. A handle I40 is provided in order that u form cylinder.

the trip shaft may be placed in running position manually.

In the operation of a printing machine equipped with the invention, the auxiliary feeder frame comprising the cross member 20 and associated parts is so adjusted as to bring the front guides 42 into such position with respect to the sheet transfer cylinder II that each sheet of paper taken by the machine will register accurately with the printing form in spite of such variations both longitudinal and angular as may occur in the positioning of the form upon the These adjustments are effected entirely by movement of the transversebar 2| through the intermediacy' of the nuts 24, the clamping elements 32 and 3lbeing first loosened.

The shaft to carrying the front stops, front guides and front sheet detectors on the one hand and the transverse bar 62 carrying the side guide, side registering mechanism, and pluralsheet de- 1 tector on the other hand, being mountedperinanently in or upon the auxiliary feeder frame, are

maintained always in parallelism, and while there I may be transverse adjustment of the parts car-- ried by the shaft 40 and bar 62 there need be no change in the relative positions of these parts longitudinally of the machine nor angularly thereto when once their proper positions have been de ermined and set. Obviously therefore it becomes a relatively simple matter to make whatever adjustments are necessaryv for. each run of work on the machine, and accurate functioning of the machine under varying conditions assured.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a feeder for a printing machine, an auxiliary feeder frame, front guides and a side guide carried by said frame, said frame being adapted to be adjustably'attached to the frame of the printing machine.

2. In combination with a printing machine having a frame, an auxiliary feeder frame adapted to be attached to the first named frame, front guides and a side guide mounted on said feeder frame, and means for adjusting said feeder frame both longitudinally and angularly of the path of travel of the sheets. I

3. In combination with a printing machine having a frame, an auxiliary feeder frame adapted to be attached to the machine frame.

front guides and a side guide carried by said feeder frame, mechanism for moving said front guides to and from operative position, mechanism for shifting sheets laterally into contact] with said side guide, a separate operating shaft for each of said mechanisms, said shafts having fixed hearings in said feeder frame, and means for,v adjusting said feeder frame in said machine,

frame.

4.11: combination with a printing machine having a frame, an auxiliary feeder frame adapted to be attached to the first named frame, two transverse parallel elongated supporting members mounted in said feeder frame, front guides carried by one of said supporting members, a side guide carried by the other of said supporting members and adjustable lengthwise thereupon, and means for adjusting saidfeeder frame upon said machine frame.

5. In combination with a printing machine having a frame, an auxiliary feeder frame.

adapted to be attached to the machine frame,

two transverse parallel elongated supportingmembers mounted in said feeder frame, front guides carried byxone of-said supporting members,

a slide mounted upon the other of said supporting members and adjustable lengthwise thereupon, a side guide and side registering mechanism mounted upon said slide, means for adjusting said feeder frame upon said machine frame, and

- said slide, means for adjusting said feeder frame upon said machine frame, and means for driving said registering mechanism and-said calipering means in all positions my said. slideiandgframe,

,l '7. In combination"'"vv adapted to be attached to the first named frame,

'frontguides andsheet calipering mechanism mounted on said feeder frame, and means for adjusting said feeder frame longitudinally of the path of travel of the sheets.

8. In combination with a printing machine having 'a. frame, an auxiliary feeder frame adapted to be attached to the first named frame, front guides and sheet calipering mechanism mounted on said feeder frame, means for adjusting said feeder frame longitudinally of the path of travel of the sheets, said calipering means embodying an element moving towards and away from the path of the sheets in timed relation to their travel, and driving means therefor effective in all positions of adjustment of said feeder frame.

9. In a machine of the class described, a transverse support adjustable lengthwise of the machine, and side registering mechanisnr'adjustably mounted on said support for adjustment transversely of the machine.

10. In a machine of the class described, a frame. an auxiliary frame mounted on said first named frame foradjustment angularly of the machine, and aside guide and side registering mechanism carried by said auxiliary frame and adjustable thereupon as a unit, transversely of the machine.

11. In combination with a printing machine 1 having .a frame, an auxiliary feeder frame adaptedjto'be attachedto thefirst named frame,

'front1guides,- a side {guide and. sheet calipering means mounted on said feeder frame, and means machine is inoperation for adjusting all of said guides simultaneously {while maintaining unchanged their positions relative to each other.

13. In a sheet feeder for printing machines, a; series of 'an'gularlyadjustable sheet'stops arranged inall positions of adjustment'to'be in substantially transverse alignment forengagement with they forward edgeof a movingsheet, to stop the same, and means for, thereafter moving certain of said, Stops away from engagement with thesheetwhile, permitting .certain' of said stops. to -remain. -in gagemen fwiti'il lihe sheet,

15. The method of registering a sheet with a printing machine comprising moving the sheet toward the machine, abruptly stopping the sheet by engaging its forward edge at a series of points, and subsequently holding the sheet in substantially its stopped position against further forward movement by engaging its forward edge at a lesser number of points, gripping the sheet while maintaining the same in its stopped position and after gripping the sheet moving it forward at gradually increasing speed into the machine.

16. In a sheet feeder for printing machines, a plurality of adjustable sheet stops adapted to engage the forward edge of a moving sheet, stop the same and thereafter move away from the sheet, and a plurality of sheet guides arranged for adjustment with said stops adapted to engage the forward edge of the sheet and hold the latter substantially in stopped position after the stops move away from the sheet, whereby final registration of the sheet is accomplished by said sheet guides.

17. In a sheet feeder for printing machines, a series of sheet stops arranged in transverse alignment across the entire path of travel of the sheets for engagement with the forward edge of each sheet, means for moving all but two non-adjacent stops away from engagement with the sheet, whereby said two remaining stops serve as front guides, and supporting means for said stops arranged to permit simultaneous adjustment of all said stops angularly with respect to the machine.

18. In a sheet feeder for printing machines, an oscillatable shaft extending transversely of the feeder at the forward end thereof, a series of stops carried by said shaft extending across the path of travel of the sheets for engagement with the forward edge of each sheet in turn, certain of said stops having a lost motion mounting on said shaft, and means for turning said shaft through an angle sufficient to remove the other stops from engagement with said sheet without changing the position of said lost motion stops, whereby the latter stops then serve as front guides.

19. In a sheet feeder for printing machines, an oscillatable shaft extending transversely of the feeder at the forward end thereof, a series of stops carried by said shaft extending across the path of travel of the sheets for engagement with the forward edge of each sheet in turn, certain of said stops having a lost motion mounting on said shaft, and means for turning said shaft first through an angle sufficient to remove the other stops from engagement with the sheet without changing the position of the lost motion stops, then turning the said shaft further in the same direction for withdrawing all of said stops from the path of travel of the sheets.

20. In a sheet feeder, a feed plate, a transverse shaft mounted below said feed plate,

plurality of brackets mounted on said shaft for oscillation therewith, sheet stops mounted on certain of said brackets, said stops engaging the forward end of said plate, and a sheet detector mounted on another of said brackets cooperating with a notch in the forward end of the plate, whereby the detector is acted upon by the sheet before the sheet strikes said stops.

21. In a sheet feeder, a feed plate, a transverse end of said plate, a sheet detector mounted on another of said brackets cooperating with a notch in the forward end of the plate, whereby the detector is acted upon by the sheet before the sheet strikes said stops, and means for oscillating said shaft to swing said stops and said detector down out of the way when the sheet is taken by the machine.

22. In a sheet feeder, a transverse shait mounted below the path of travel of the sheets, a plurality of brackets mounted on said shaft for oscillation therewith, sheet stops carried by certain of said brackets adapted to project up wardly into the path of travel of the sheets, an

other of said brackets carrying a sheet detector and a cooperating lever adapted to be latched by the sheet detector when a sheet fails to come down the feed plate, and means for turning said shaft to swing said stops and said detector down out of the path of travel of the sheets.

23. The method of registering a sheet being fed to a printing or other machine comprising engaging a relatively large portion of the forward edge of the sheet to abruptly stop the sheet in substantially its desired registered position, subsequently engaging two relatively small spaced portions only of said forward edge to hold the sheet in precisely its desired registered position while permitting the sheet to assume its normal shape, gripping the sheet while maintaining the same in said registered position and after gripping the sheet moving it forward at gradually increasing speed into the machine.

24. The method of registering a sheet being fed to a printing or other machine comprising abruptly stopping the sheet in substantially its desired registered position by engaging its forward edge at a series of points, subsequently holding the sheet in precisely its desired registered position by engaging its forward edge at two points only, gripping the sheet while maintaining the same in its stopped position and after gripping the sheet moving it forward at gradually increasing speed into the machine.

25. Mechanism as claimed in claim 16 and in" cludlng a support common to said sheet stops and said sheet guides, said support being mount ed for adjustment angularly of the direction of movement of the sheet.

26. Mechanism as claimed in claim 16 and including a support common to said sheet stops and said sheet guides, said support being mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the direction of movement of the sheet.

CELQRIES W. ram-norm. Jaime H. WOOD. 

